Metagenomes

The Indian Gut Microbiome

We have recently published the first ever large-scale study of the gut microbiome of 110 healthy individuals from distinct locations in India using multi-omics approaches, including 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, whole genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing, and metabolomic profiling of faecal and serum samples.The study reveals the unique composition of Indian gut microbiome, establishes the Indian gut microbial gene catalogue, and compares it with the gut microbiome of other populations. The functional associations revealed using metagenomic and metabolomic approaches provide novel insights on the gut-microbe-metabolic axis, which will be useful for future epidemiological and translational researches. The study is published in 'GigaScience' journal in 2019.

The Indian Scalp Microbiome

This is the first Metagenomic study of the scalp microbiome worldwide, and also the first and very large scale study (~1000 samples) from India, which has not only identified the abundance of bacterial and fungal species on the scalp but also explained their role in maintaining a healthy scalp. Novel role was found for the bacteria residing on the scalp in supplying the scalp with nutrients which are essential for a healthy scalp. The study provides an excellent sample of a successful industry-academia collaboration between IISER Bhopal and Loreal research and Innovation in India and France.
The study is published in 'Frontiers in Cellular and Infectious Microbiology' journal in 2018.

The Gut Microbiome of Autistic Children in India

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a term associated with a group of neurodevelopmental disorders. To identify the taxonomic composition and markers associated with ASD, we compared the fecal microbiota of 30 ASD children with family-matched 24 healthy children from Indian population using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Our study showed prominent dysbiosis in the gut microbiome of ASD children, and an association of selected Lactobacillus species with the gut microbiome of ASD children.
The study is published in 'Microbial Ecology' journal in 2018.

Metagenomics of the hot springs of Central India

We have carried out the metagenomic sequencing and analysis of hot springs in Central India including Tattapani and Anhoni hot springs. The analysis revealed the hydrocarbon degrading thermophiles and pathways essential for the survival of thermophilic microbial communities in these extreme environments.

Ocean and mangrove metagenome from The Andaman Islands

We are carrying out a large scale metagenomic project to reveal the unique microbial diversity present in the ocean water and mangroves of Andaman Islands. We have also isolated, cultured and sequenced several novel bacteria from these unique locations.

Eukaryotic Genomes

We have recently sequenced and published the genome of The Indian peafowl or blue peafowl (Scientific Name: Pavo cristatus). Peafowl are native to Indian subcontinent and is recognized as the National Bird of India. The complete genome of Indian Peacock and comprehensive comparative genomic and evolutionary analysis with the other bird genomes was carried out to gain insights on its unique phenotype, and published in 'Frontiers in Genetics' journal in 2018.

Indian Tiger Genome

The complete genome sequence and the comprehensive evolutionary and comparative analysis of Indian Bengal Tiger from Madhya Pradesh was performed. The manuscript is available on BioRviv BioRviv